“Americans rating the economy good to excellent has surged to the highest point since former President George W. Bush took office, according to a new survey. Pew Research Center said that 53 percent rate the economy high and the best in some 18 years. ‘Americans’ views of national economic conditions continue to improve, with the share saying the economy is in good or excellent condition now at its highest point in nearly two decades,’ said Pew.”

GALLUP: U.S. Concerns About Healthcare High; Energy, Unemployment Low

“Affordable energy and unemployment have been the issues Americans worry least about for the past two years, given low gas prices and low unemployment rates. Unemployment also tied for last in 2001…. Levels of concern about most of the issues are similar to what they were a year ago, except for the economy and unemployment. Americans’ concerns about those issues continue to decline from their high points after the Great Recession. The percentage of Americans now worried about unemployment is down 36 percentage points from the high of 59% in 2010, including a seven-point decline in the past year. Worry about the economy has dropped 37 points from its high of 71% in 2011 and 2012, with about one-third of that decline coming in the past year.”

THE HILL: Business Economists Optimistic About Growth: Survey

“The National Association for Business Economics projected the economy will expand 2.9 percent in 2018, compared to a 2.5 percent projection in December. ‘NABE Outlook panelists are more optimistic about the U.S. economy in 2018 than they were three months ago, especially regarding prospects for the industrial sector of the economy,’ Kevin Swift, the group’s vice president, said in a statement…. Members of the panel cited the GOP tax reductions and the cut to the corporate tax rate as upside risks, NABE noted. ”

THE WALL STREET JOURNAL: U.S. Consumer Confidence Hits 14-Year High

“U.S. consumers’ confidence hit a fresh 14-year high this month, as lower-income households reported feeling more optimistic about the economy. The University of Michigan on Friday said the preliminary result of its consumer-sentiment index was 102.0 in March, up from 99.7 in February. That was the highest level since January 2004, and well above the 99.0 economists surveyed by The Wall Street Journal had expected.”

“According to the EY Tax Reform Dollar Deployment Survey, conducted jointly by Ernst & Young LLP’s (EY) Transaction Advisory Services and tax businesses, 89% of companies plan to enhance compensation due to the new GOP tax reform law. ‘We’re seeing that the majority of the savings from tax reform is going to be put back in growth and innovation, which is great news for the U.S. economy,’ EY Americas Vice Chair Bill Casey said Monday during an exclusive interview with FOX Business’ Maria Bartiromo.”

REUTERS: U.S. Job Openings Surge to Record High in January

“Job openings, a measure of labor demand, increased by 645,000 to a seasonally adjusted 6.3 million. That was the highest level since the data series started in December 2000 and pushed the job openings rate up four-tenths of a percentage point to 4.1 percent. ‘We believe employers are going to have to pay up to fill the openings, leading to stronger wage growth and sustained consumer spending increases,’ said Ron Temple, head of U.S. equities at Lazard Asset Management in New York.”

MARKETWATCH: The Number of Americans Collecting Unemployment Benefits Drops to 45-Year Low

“Initial U.S. jobless claims rose by 3,000 to 229,000 in mid-March, but they remain near the lowest levels since 1970. And the number of people collecting benefits fell to a fresh 45-year low…. The number of people already collecting unemployment benefits, known as continuing claims, fell by 57,000 to 1.83 million. That’s the lowest level since December 1973.”

THE DAILY CALLER: Two Million Americans Got Off Food Stamps In Trump’s First Year

“The number of food stamp dependent Americans hit a six-year low in President Donald Trump’s first year in office, reflecting an improving economy and falling unemployment, according to a U.S. Agriculture Department (USDA) report. An average of 42.2 million Americans participated in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) program in 2017, which is an 11 percent decrease from 2013, when a record number of people used food stamps, according to USDA.”